30 Day Challenge: Day 1

I guess if all of my blog friends jumped off a cliff, I would too.  I am usually a leader (or so I'm told) but dangit, sometimes I like other people to chart the way & I can coast along behind....thus why I am just getting started on this 30 day challenge...at least this will give me a full 30 days worth of material!  Here is the schedule I will be following, for those of you who are curious or who would like to participate (ahem, Ster...).


Day 1-Introduce yourself, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture 


DAY 1:
Hello, Ladies & Gentlemen (do men read my blog?  hmm, not sure.).  My name is Christina Charisse Gernatt Lyons.  I go by Chrissi.  And legally, I am still just Gernatt & once that changes I will be Christina Charisse Lyons.  Truthfully, I like my middle name too much to give it up, and we all know there are a LOT of Gernatts who will carry on the family name, so I am dropping it.  Sorry.  I am the middle of five kids (how did Tom & Mel do it?) and I am the oldest girl, which gives me two 'birth order' spots as middle, and oldest.  I like to use the "middle child" thing, but truthfully I see a lot of oldest traits as well, and therefore can't rule it out.  I got married a whopping five weeks ago to an amazing man who has taught me so much about life, people, myself, love, etc etc.  So, enough about me....here are my 15 can't promise they will be interesting facts:


1. My middle name, as mentioned above, is also my mom's middle name, and Lord willing, I will use it for our first girl too (Dear Lord, please let this happen).  I do believe this name came from the actress, Cyd Charisse.


2. I would rather speak in front of 25 people, than 5 people.  I know, odd.


3. My name is never (NEVER) spelled correctly by someone the first time.


4. I am best friends with my parents.  The are pretty awesome :)


5.  I gave up diet coke cold turkey in exchange for sparkling water....I thought it was the aspartame I craved, turns out it was the fizz.

6. I am really OCD about keeping my white farm sink clean.


7. I sing really loud in the car.  Not just when I am alone.


8. I am addicted to (gasp!) QTips!!  I clean out my ears at least once a day...probably 10 times a week.  I know, I know, it's "not good for your ears".  I can hear just fine.....with clean ears ;)  I would like to attribute this to my mother laying our heads in her lap after our bath or shower as children and she would gently clean out our ears.  It soothes me.

9. Until I started dating BL I did not know what a 'wave cap' did.  Guess the name didn't tell me enough?


10. My favorite meal is breakfast.  I could eat any breakfast item for any meal (eggs, cheerios, waffles, oatmeal, you name it).


11. The name of my neighborhood is Princess Square....and I am the President of the HOA....so you could say I am Queen of Princess Square.  OK, no one says that, it's just funny.

12. I truly love my job AND it's what I went to school for. 


13. Ain't No Mountain High Enough is on my Pandora station now & I really want to sing into a curling iron like they did in Step Mom!

(remember when he proposed to Julia Roberts with the string on her finger when she woke up!? Oh, I am a hopeless romantic!!)

14. I am going to quit watching one of my favorite shows this year, and I am actually relieved....American Idol is just not  the same any more! 


15. I have had stitches five times, all under the age of five, and all on my face.  

ok, this picture is too funny to not show in it's entirety.... 

Ok, that's all for now...tomorrow we'll discuss my blog name.

Thankful Thursday

My sweet friend Candra at The Curious Georgi has asked her blog friends to do a Thankful Thursday, and I am happily participating (you should too!)...sometimes I get so caught up in the chaos of life that I forget to stop and be thankful for my blessings.  God has been good to me, and He deserves some credit!


1. my husband, BL - my rock, my FAVORITE :) I love you boo!
2. marriage - a never-ending sleepover with my best friend
3. my BIG family - we're crazy, we're loud, and we're awesome ;) ...can't wait to see everyone Saturday night!
4. my friends - you are awesome women who always make life a little more sweet!
5. the book of Esther - powerful, insightful stuff here (thank you Beth Moore)!
6. children - no, not my own (yet...God willing), but I have many kiddos in my life that make me laugh/smile quite often! my nephew Jakson called me three times yesterday.  Ster said it's because he knows how to use her iPhone, I say it's because he loves Aunt Sis...duh.
7. life - I have been reminded one too many times in the last month that it's short, and I want to be more thankful for it with every passing day
8. jeggings - ok, this may be a stupid one, but I HEART JEGGINGS.  they are the best, and if you don't have some get some.  mine are from Ann Taylor Loft and they are (as BL says) the bomb dot com!
9.  the show Parenthood - my sweet hubster likes to pause the DVR and talk about how we would handle certain situations with kids/work/marriage.  as cheesy as it sounds, this show has sparked some of our best convos since saying "i do"
10. galoshes - it has rained a lot here this week & I am so thankful I had my trusty (hot pink) rain boots!  



Happy [thankful] Thursday everyone, hope you make it a great day!!

"i do"....with a sticker on my shoe

That's right folks, my sweet husband went and purchased new shoes two days before our wedding.  The shoes looked great.....from the top.  When we were packing to leave the hotel Sunday morning, I noticed that the price tag was still on the bottom of his shoe.  Normally this wouldn't matter, except for the fact that we took communion during the ceremony, and the bottom of his shoes were open for all to see!!!  We got a little giggle out of this for sure!

Anywho, we had a beautiful ceremony.  It was performed by the minister at the church I grew up going to, and the church BL and I are about to switch back to.  We did not get married in any church that was significant to us other than it's location directly across the street to the reception location.  Regardless, it was a stunning venue.  I loved it!!

My father gave me away and his only rule for all three of his girls is that we wear a veil and he will raise it to give us away.  This was a very meaningful moment!  

We opted for the traditional service with a unity candle and Lord's Supper.  The candle was great (I DIY-ed the main pillar candle with material from my flower girl's dress.  

(thought I had dripped wax on my dress....I was checking to be sure)

As I have mentioned, there are so many pictures to choose from, but here are a few others that I love from our ceremony....

  

In other news, it's raining a lot in ATL today.  This always puts me in such a blah mood!! I need some good pick-me-up music to make this better.  For serious...now time to peruse my iTunes.  Make it a great day!

PS--Just created "The Weather Girls" Pandora Station.... Pointer Sisters up first....this day is getting better already!!  I'm channeling my inner Jessie Spano "I'm so excited....."

birthday boy :)

many years ago there was an adorable little boy.......

then he grew up and worked in a gym.......

his muscles were strong and the ladies loved him......

then one day he fell in love with a client (who resisted him for quite some time)

....and they fell madly in love, and he proposed marriage

...and they said "i do" and started their lives together

 and today is his birthday....

(that's a lot of candles for this old man.....)

(even he thinks so)

I love you so much & thank God for you every single day....you're the best, and my favorite, and I look forward to celebrating many more in the years ahead!!!

allow me to introduce you to....

Our new niece, Tinsley Mae Hutson!

I am in loooove!

Momma needed some pink nails :)

Big brothers were thrilled to meet baby Tinsley!!

Oh this little girl is just a doll!  You can read sister's blog and see how cute all three of her kiddos are!  Baby girl puts our immediate family up to four nephews and two nieces, and two more (gender unknown) on the way with Ster & Tonj....I am one happy aunt :)

the boys

I am now discovering several shots that I wish I had taken at the wedding which is shocking because of the 1,601 shots they did take...boo!  Oh well, we're married, and happy and that is really all that matters.  Now on to more important things, like my really handsome hubby :))) 

BL & the matrons

 the Lyons family (missing some kiddos and one wife)

with his parents

the Lyons men

 above and below is Nick, BL's oldest brother

 BL's brother (and "black Irish twin" as Bobby calls him) Chico

with my oldest brother, Josh

my second oldest brother, Andrew

(I am so thankful he is so close with my brothers!)

Here are a few of just BL....I love these ;)

  (I am one lucky lady!!)

...and up next, our ceremony!  Hope your week is off to a great start!